US Campaign: Romney ends presidential bid

Source: CCTV.com | 02-09-2008 12:31

Mitt Romney has called off his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. It effectively hands victory to main rival John McCain. The Republican candidate will face either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, who are locked in a tight battle for the Democratic nomination.

Mitt Romney has called off his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

Romney made the announcement on Thursday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

The former Governor of Massachusetts said he wants to keep the Republicans united in the race against the Democratic Party.

"If I fight on in my campaign all the way to the convention, I'd forestall the launch of a national campaign. And frankly, I'd be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win. In this time of war, I simply can not let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror" Romney said.

Romney's decision leaves McCain as the top man standing in the Republican race, with the nearest challenger, Mike Huckabee, now far behind.

McCain has prevailed in most of the states so far, and has 707 of the 1,191 delegates he needs to win the nomination.

Meanwhile, Obama and Clinton are looking ahead to a long presidential battle, after splitting wins on "Super Tuesday".

At a campaign appearance in the state of Virginia, Clinton said she was the best Democratic candidate to compete against McCain. "Who would be our best candidate to stand on the stage with Senator McCain to talk about national security, the economy and all the other important issues? I am offering a lifetime of experience, but more than that, I am offering my heart."

Obama said Romney's "glib statements", such as the suggestion that the Democratic candidates lacked strategy on the war in Iraq had got him "consistently in trouble" throughout his campaign.

Editor:Du Xiaodan